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Did H&M South Africa make a 2nd Twitter gaffe?

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Image: H&M ad

We are sure H&M South Africa is rethinking their social media strategy, because some serious mistakes were made on Twitter recently.

When a blogger tweeted the retailer asking them to work on featuring more women of colour in their advertising, posters, etc. in their South African stores, she was met with a response that left Twitter gob-smacked.

But one bit of the Twitter conversation left us wondering: what does "various ethnic backgrounds" really mean in this context?

As a way to defend itself, H&M South Africa listed the names of models from various ethnic backgrounds they've used in their global marketing campaigns:



Miss Kendall Jenner was named amongst this group of "various ethnic backgrounds". Kendall Jenner is white, and American. Her ethnicity is in part Scottish, Irish, Dutch, German, and Welsh.

Is there still confusion about this or not? All of the other models listed by them are women and men of colour. So, what were they really implying here? Did they perhaps get confused with her sisters' half Armenian heritage? We don't know.

Anybody pick up some #HMBALMAINATION pieces last night? We can't wait for this Saturday, 7/11. #HMSouthAfrica

A photo posted by H&M South Africa (@hm_southafrica) on

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